This invention relates to interactive channel number entry systems. More particularly, this invention relates to interactive television channel number entry wherein after each digit is entered, information associated with the entered channel or information to assist the user in channel entry is displayed.
Cable, satellite, and broadcast television systems are increasingly providing more television channels to viewers. Viewers have traditionally been able to remember the channel numbers of their favorite channels. However, as more channels become available, this is not always possible. Users may only remember the approximate location for a desired channel number.
Television systems have recently been released that use component services. In such systems, there may be several related component channels in a digital multiplex. There is currently no convenient system that allows a user to easily tune to such component services and channels.
Program guides implemented on set-top boxes are available that allow a user to enter a channel number with a remote control. Shortly after the channel number has been entered, the program guide tunes the set-top box to the entered channel and automatically displays an overlay bar on top of the video for that channel. The overlay bar may contain the channel number and associated program listings information such as the title of the current program for the channel and the channel""s call letters. This type of program guide requires that the user remember the exact channel number to which the user desires to tune.
In an available e-mail reader application, users may search for the names of a desired e-mail recipient by typing letters into a box as a list of potential recipients is displayed. As each letter is typed into the box, the list moves to focus on the names that begin with the entered letters. This type of application does not work with channel numbers.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a system for facilitating channel number entry.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a system for displaying information in response to each digit entered during channel entry.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a system for displaying a list of channels during channel entry that may be associated with the entered digits.
It is also an object of the invention to notify a user when a channel number is related to component channels during channel entry and allowing the user to tune to one of the component channels.
These and other objects of the invention are accomplished in accordance with the principles of the present invention by providing an interactive channel entry system. The system may display program listings information relating to the channels that are associated with the entered digits during channel entry. The program listings information for a channel may include a channel designator (e.g., the call letters for the channel, a channel name, a network affiliation, etc.), the title of the program currently airing on the channel, or other information specific to the channel.
The system may display a list of channel numbers associated with the entered digits during channel entry. The list of channels may be sorted numerically, by type, by frequency of viewing, by recent use, by favorite channels, etc.
The system may notify a user when channels are related to the channel number of the entered digit or digits during channel entry. The related channels may be channels that are components of another channel, or channels that are from the same provider, network, or of the same type such as PPV channels, digital music channels, movie channels, broadcast channels, etc.
The system may allow a user to assign a source identifier to channel numbers from different sources. The system may display the channels from the multiple sources with their corresponding source identifier during channel entry.
The interactive channel entry system may be implemented on a television, a computer, a radio system, or other suitable platform.
Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.